Multichannel SAowner of a television service for aerial subscribers in the capital of channels 4, 10 and 12 —Multiseñal—, did not accept the transactional agreement proposed by the government for US$ 2.5 million and will continue with the lawsuits, civil and administrative, against the State.
The payment of this compensation had already been analyzed and approved by the Court of Auditors (in a divided vote) without observations. After that, ultimatelythe Presidency would enable the disbursement and Multicanal, in addition to committing not to initiate a lawsuit against the State, should stop using the frequency band that was assigned to broadcast its television signal (through Multiseñal), which is by antenna.
However, the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mining (MIEM) informed the Front Amplista deputy, Gustavo Olmosafter a request for information, that “No agreement was reached between the State and the company Multicanal SA and the judicial proceedings –in administrative and civil courts– continue their actions”, reported La Diario this Tuesday. the deal did not come to fruition because the shareholders of Multicanal SA understand that the company should receive a higher payment.
Leonardo Carreno
The origin of the conflict and why the government proposed this agreement
In 2011, the government urged pay television companies to change frequencies. They used frequencies in the band from 2,500 to 2,690 megahertz. Later, it was determined that this frequency band would be used for 5G technology.
In December 2019, an auction was launched for the use of that frequency band and the Communications Services Regulatory Unit (Ursec) granted spectrum for mobile internet for US$ 65 million, which were divided between Movistar, Claro and Antel, the three mobile internet operators in the country.
Antel paid US$ 22.5 million for four frequencies, although a total of six was made since two of them had no cost due to lack of other bidders. For its part, Movistar is the one that paid the highest amount with a disbursement of US$ 28 million for four blocks. While, Claro paid US$ 15 million for two.
However, despite the government’s call for pay television companies they will withdraw from the frequency at the latest in January 2013, Multisignal remained. The company argued thatIt was necessary to make a high-cost investment to acquire a new infrastructure.
The head of the National Directorate of Telecommunications (Dinatel), Guzmán Acosta y Larahad told La Diaria that the government’s resolution seeks to settle a dispute that is “an inheritance from the previous governmentr” and that exposed the Uruguayan State to various lawsuits. The hierarch criticized that the auction was held at the end of 2019, “when the government was already ending”, and stated that it is “very striking” the date. He added that the auction “generated consequences”, among them, that the new installation “generated interference”.
“Today we are finishing a problem that we inherited”, highlighted Acosta and Lara, adding that Antel and Movistar are currently “damaged” not being able to handle its spectrum freely. According to him, with this transaction with the television company, the telephone companies will be able to use “antennas that will improve the service”. as he knew The Observer, the antennas of the telephone companies in that new frequency have already been turned on.
